Weblogs & Libraries

Weblogs & LibrariesMichael Stephens

[email protected]

http://www.tametheweb.com/

Our Plan The Biblioblogosphere Jumpstarting your Library Blog Creating Usable Weblogs What have we learned? Best Practices for Library Blogs

New Tools & the Future

Let’s Survey the Biblioblogosphere

Why Use Blogs in Libraries?

Weblogs are being acknowledged as a “natural for librarians” (Hane, 2001)

Useful communication tool (Block, 2001)

Librarians are “born to blog” (Huwe, 2003)

Blogs & Libraries

Blogs have many implications for librarians. Library managers need to be aware of what they can do to promote the library and its services.

(Clyde, 2004)

Guess What? Tools are available for collaboration and communication like never before

Librarians and libraries can use these tools to better serve users

If we don’t get it, users may pass us by!

http://www.cla-net.org/weblog/

http://feelgoodlibrarian.typepad.com/

Creating Usable Blogs

Jumpstarting Your Library Weblog

Read Jakob Nielsen’s Ten point List

Look at your library blog with new eyes

Make changes!

Jakob Nielsen on Weblog Usability

No Author Biographies No Author Photo Nondescript Posting Titles Links Don't Say Where They Go Classic Hits are Buried The Calendar is the Only Navigation Irregular Publishing Frequency

Jakob Nielsen on Weblog Usability

The Calendar is the Only Navigation Irregular Publishing Frequency Mixing Topics Forgetting That You Write for Your

Future Boss Having a Domain Name Owned by a

Weblog Service

http://www.hclib.org/

What have we learned?

Planning Steps Who on your staff will blog? Where will your blog live (in-house or hosted)?

What will you blog about? Will you open up comments on blog posts? If yes, who will monitor the comments and respond?

Create your blog Train your staff

Who will blog? Takes time – a staff responsibility

Natural fit with some positions Interest, commitment, dedication

Skills Writing and editing

Libraries & Weblogs: Library Weblogs can be building blocks for communicating news and information

Transparency & presence can create interest and buy-in with staff and users

Communication + Conversation =

Community

Transparency Sharing how the library works and how resources are used

Communicates to staff what people do

Creates community

Best Practices for

Library Blogs

Best Practices for Library Blogs

Read and Evaluate as many blogs as you can TTW Handout Note what features you like/dislike

Great first step or jumpstart step


Find your Voice/Develop a Mission What is your goal? How do you want to say it? Are you ready to speak & listen?


Focus on Content Configure the blog then let it work for you!

Focus on creating interesting, useful posts

Reach out to users with what interests them


Content, Yes, but Design Too! Create a seamless environment Usability is important: test and test again

Stay on top of tech advances


Share authorship Depending on your library’s size, 1-10?

Spreads out the writing duties Agree on “voice” and Mission


Post Often and Succinctly Users don’t want huge blocks of text

Write informally but error free Make them want to return/subscribe


Develop a Style Guide Insures correct usage amongst authors

Should carry to print as well


Train Staff to Blog* Teach them the technology Give them handy tag sheets Discuss what makes a good post Praise them

* and give them time to do so!


Incorporate the Blog(s) into your site Use the same colors, look and feel

Link between the blog and the catalog, other pages

Make your front page the blog!


Create a feeling of Transparency Blog your projects & plans Listen to your users via comments

Respond to your users

New Tools & The Future

Get interactive Talk with your users Allow comments Book reviews, thoughts, more

“These networked conversations are enabling powerful new forms of social organization..”

To speak with a human voice, companies must share the concerns of their communities.

It’s all about conversations

We shall become transparent

Companies can now communicate

with their markets directly. If they blow it,

it could be their last chance.

Libraries can now communicate

with their markets directly. If they blow it,

it could be their last chance.

Next Generation Library Tools

Comments enabled The Catalog as Blog Wikis built by librarians & users

http://www.flickr.com/photos/maisonbisson/89125500

http://www.libraryforlife.org

Thank You! AIM: mstephens7mac [email protected] www.tametheweb.com

Weblogs & Libraries

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